Dropping scene



D. ZABARATZ.

DROPPING $CENE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 25. 1920.

Patented Jan. 31, 19 22.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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DEAGUTIN ZABARATZ, or BELGRADE, snnnrn.

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DROPPING SCENE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J an, 31, 1922.

, Application filed March 25,19211. Serial no.3es,7o2. 9

.whichit appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanymg drawlngs, and to letters. or figures of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification. 1 i I Intheatrical, practice various systems of scenes have beenemployed, which may be classed in three particular groups, viz., revolvlng scenes, shifting scenes and dropping scenes, all of which have the obj ect of facilitating thechanging ofthe sceneryseen on thestage. I w v i e All of these systems, however havecertain disadvantages, so that they have not found a very extended adoption. Revolving scenes will for reason of the space required ,by

them, prevent the whole area of the stage being utilized, sothat, when such revolving scenes are used, many pieces cannot be played at all, because these revolving scenes render only a small depth 'of scene available. f

Shifting scenes are such, with. which on either'side of the stage proper, and inthe level of the same, large chambers are procommunicating, with the stage through wide doors; in these chambers the new scenes and properties are built up, ready to be shifted on to the stage, whilst the scene last shown is shifted into the opposite chains Obviously this arrangement necessitates a large space in the level of the stage, and it is not always possible or at least diflicult to obtain such space, and will with already existing theatre buildingseven sometimes be impossible, or considerably increase the costs for new theatre buildings. With dropping scenes the floor of the stage is divided into three sections of practically the same size. Of these the foremost, or the two foremost, and but rarely all three are used for the scene. When the foremost section is being used as'a scene, the next scenes and properties may be built up on the middle and the rearmost section. In many instances, however, and in particular, when the two foremost, or so much the more, when all three sections have to be used for one scene, this arrangement does not afford any advantage whatever. Furthermore this sys- Item, the same as also the hereinbeforemem tionedtwo other systems only allow of. preparing the following. or, atthe utmost, the

two following scene With he present invention modern construction, without wings, loft ceiling or the like isemployed. The whole floor ofthestage is empty whilst a spherical a, stage of horizonfor use with deep "sceneries is open circular horizon encircles the stageat a su table depth. 7 L 1 The scenearrangement according to the vaulted over the whole stage room, andian present invention is shown in the accomg 1 .panying drawing in anembodiment. by way of example.

. Fig. 1 is a. horizontal sectionat the level of the stage floor through thetheatrebuild- Fig. 2 is aperspective, yet schematic view of the arrangement as a whole. v, r 3

The stage proper is formed of a platform L disposed closetothe pr'omptefis box S,

.ing, in which the present invention is fitted. i

e and behindthesaid platform L isa smaller 1 l platform Z. 7 Both these" platforms' are ,ca-

pable, of moving vertically being arranged each one in its vertical elevator shaft, inside which theplatforms in known manner may move up and. down. The elevator shaft of.

the large platform L extends as, well as downwards through the cellar B below the stage room A upwards through the said stage room and the stories situated above the same, while the elevator-shaft for the smallplatform Z onlyiextends downwardsthrough the cellar 13. Both platforms are normally at a level with the floor 9 of the stage A, and they are separated from one another by means of the upper surface of a partition wall W, sald surface being level with the floor g, and the said partition wall extend ing downwards. through the cellar B and forming a separation between the two elevator shafts. r l

In the cellar B is located, at each side of the elevator shaft corresponding to the large platform, a chamber or room, a or Z),

respectively, Fig. 2, while around the elevator shaft corresponding to the small platform is arranged a group of five chambers or rooms 1, 2, 3, 4; and'5. The cellar may be divided into two low stories each one having chambers or rooms as those mentioned above.

further through a space, which is divided has beeniraised or droppedto the level'of the respective room, "and the last used scene into ,a first story C and a second story D, i

andif desirable a further third story may be provided through the floor E of which the elevator shaft'is extending. In eachof the stories C and D is arranged around the elevator shaft a group of five chambers 1 IP, 111 IV and V around the shaft in the story C, and I I1 III II and V around the shaft in the'story D. I

All" the chambers in the cellar and in the stories C and D are open towards the respective elevatorshaft and in -t'hese chambers the scenes, which are to be used on'the' platforms Lorjl, respectively, are built up on special platforms on castors or wheels,

so that, when the respective-stage platform has been removed into an empty room, the

freshly built up scene may be wheeled on to the platform "and thereon be again be dropped or raisedto the level of the stage floor. 7

When the scene has thus reached thelevel of the stage floor 9 it may either be left on its'platform, or may also, if desirable, be wheeled forward towards the proscenium or in any other desired direction. The scene on the large platform may also be supplemented by one or several smallerscenes from the, smaller platform so thatvarious combinations of scenes are possible, without each scene requir ng more than a few V *mmutes forbeing placed into position on the, stage floor. V j i It isobvious that the arrangement hereinbefore described according to the present invention allows of producing a considerably larger number of scenes than the here- 'tofore known systems, and at the same time,

of'utilizing the full" depth of the stage. Furthermore, the arrangement of buildingup rooms in the cellar beneath the stage floor affords a considerable saving as re gards the erection of the theatre house itself.

I claim:

1. A theatre: stage comprising a main elevatorshaft extending above and below the stage, a platfornimovable in the shaft, room on each side the shaft opening into the latter below the stage, and a group of rooms above the stage arranged on each side of and behind the shaft communicating with each other and with the shaft. Y

2. Atheatre stage, comprising a main rele vator shaft extending above and below the stage, a platform movable in the shaft, a room on each side theshaft opening into the latter below the stage, a group of rooms above the stage arranged on. each side of "and behind the shaft communicating with each other and with the shaft, an auxiliary shaft behind the main shaftiextending below the stage, aplatfor'm movable inthe auxiliarly shaft, and a group of rooms arranged on each side of and behind the auxiliary shaft communicating with the latter and with each other.

3. A theatre stage, comprising a main ele- *vator shaft extending above and below the stage, a platform movable in the shaft, a room on' each side the shaft opening into the latter below the stage, agroup ofrooms above the stage arranged on each side of and behind the shaft communicating with each other and with the shaft, an auxiliary shaft behind the mainshaft extending below the stage, a platform movable inthe'auxiliary shaft, and a group of rooms arranged on each side of and behind the auxiliary shaft communicating with the latter and, with each other, anda partition below the stage "between the main andauxiliary shafts. In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I havesigned my name;

DRAGUTIN, ZABARATZQ 

